


What's for dinner?

by ImJustSoGay



Category: Warrior Nun (TV)
Genre: Cooking, Dinner, F/F, kinda hurt/comfort I guess, post-Season 1, soft, tbh mary camila and lilith are very minor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:14:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26692033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImJustSoGay/pseuds/ImJustSoGay
Summary: Opening the refrigerator, Beatrice frowns at the containers full of leftover pasta. It was Ava’s turn to cook a few days ago and she grossly overestimated the amount of pasta they needed. Overtaken by pasta, the fridge is devoid of any other foods, so Beatrice adds grocery shopping to her to-do list. She opens cabinets and drawers hoping to find anything edible, but only comes across a French cookbook, which she tucks under her arm.Stepping back into the living room where her Sisters are, Beatrice unleashes the question.“What should we do for dinner?”
Relationships: Sister Beatrice/Ava Silva
Comments: 5
Kudos: 117





	What's for dinner?

**Author's Note:**

> Note: This was supposed to be a light story, but...whoops

Glancing up at the clock reading 5 o’clock, Beatrice flicks the kitchen lights on. Unlike the kitchen of Cat’s Cradle, this safehouse has new, sleek appliances and marble countertops that glisten in the light. This safehouse, on the border of France and Spain, has always been one of Beatrice’s favorites because of the beautiful mountain views, which she can see now from the window, and she has been more than happy to stay here since their mission at the Vatican. Given that the OCS is likely out of commission now and it isn’t like they could easily adapt to a new lifestyle, they have been using the past few weeks to recuperate and figure out their next steps. For Beatrice this means lots of mountaineering, meditation, prayer, and reading.

Opening the refrigerator, Beatrice frowns at the containers full of leftover pasta. It was Ava’s turn to cook a few days ago and she grossly overestimated the amount of pasta they needed. Overtaken by pasta, the fridge is devoid of any other foods, so Beatrice adds grocery shopping to her to-do list. She opens cabinets and drawers hoping to find anything edible, but only comes across a French cookbook, which she tucks under her arm.

Stepping back into the living room where her Sisters are, Beatrice unleashes the question. “What should we do for dinner?”

Ava begins to exclaim “PAS-,” but is drowned out by overlapping complaints:

“You’ve _got_ to stop suggesting pasta! We’ve had nonstop pasta for two days!”

“Ava, there are other foods, better foods.”

“I _cannot_ eat any more pasta.”

Ava pouts at the outrage. “Well excuuuse me if my palette is limited, the orphanage mostly served porridge.”

They glance at each other, acknowledging a fair point, when Camila speaks.

“Ava, since we’re in France now, what if we had something French?”

Ava lifts an eyebrow in consideration.

“ok…so um…French toast?”

Eyes roll around the room and Lilith mutters something about Ava’s single braincell, but before anyone can start another argument, Beatrice reveals the book under her arm. “I found this French cookbook in the kitchen, perhaps we can choose from this?”

She passes the book to Camila’s outstretched hand and Ava jumps up to settle herself next to Camila. Lilith and Mary situate themselves behind the sofa to look over Camila and Ava’s shoulders. Beatrice smiles at the scene before joining. As dysfunctional and strange as they are, this is her family and she’d protect them through anything.

\---

After several debates on “French-ness,” cooking abilities, and personal preferences (among Ava, Mary, and Lilith), they have decided.

“We’re having a quickie tonight!!” Ava announces.

Eyes wide in panic, Beatrice corrects “QUICHE! QUICHE!” as Mary doubles over in laughter. French can be hard.

\---

Around 6 pm, as she’s finished preparing the ingredients, Beatrice hears familiar footsteps.

A bashful smile accompanies a simple question: “Can I help?”

Though Ava has a penchant for disaster, Beatrice welcomes the company. After Beatrice explains the recipe and points out each of the ingredients, Ava looks thoughtful.

“So, a _quiche_ is essentially eggs and…bakin’?” Her eyebrow quirks up in amusement as her eyes search Beatrice’s face for approval. The slightest hint of a smile is allowed through Beatrice’s mask.

As they get started, Ava is full of questions:

“Why did you do it like that?”

“How do you know when it’s mixed enough?”

“Where did you learn to do this?”

Each question is met with a patient, well-articulated response from Beatrice. Cooking was a quiet activity in her household, but with Ava, nothing was ever quiet. And Beatrice doesn’t mind. Ava is doing her best at assisting, carefully repeating the French words for the ingredients, trying to absorb everything she can.

“ _oof_ ”

“ _oeuf_ ” Beatrice corrects.

“ _euff_ ” She tries again.

As Ava continues practicing, Beatrice decides to ask something.

“Ava,” she turns to look at the girl. “Why do you like pasta so much?”

Ava stops fishing eggshell from a bowl and considers the question.

“Pasta is tasty. There are so many varieties: mac ‘n cheese, alfredo, spaghetti. And it’s filling and simple to make!”

And though she registers a change in her heartbeat as Ava smiles at her and happily talks about – of all things – pasta, Beatrice catches on the word “simple.” She tilts her head to examine Ava before asking, “why does it need to be simple?”

Ava’s eyebrows furrow and she looks back to the egg in her bowl. In a much quieter tone she says, “…well…I’m not good at cooking, I always mess up. And after the fight, I haven’t had any powers. So, the least I can do for you is make dinner…You shouldn’t have to do more work just cause I can’t do anything.”

An unknown feeling spreads over Beatrice. It was true. Ever since the fight with Adriel, the Halo hasn’t been granting Ava any powers, other than keeping her alive. The battle lasted 10 long days, but they endured until the last evening, when Ava emitted a blast so powerful all the Wraiths were expelled, and a lake of fire opened beneath Adriel.

Beatrice will never forget how she felt in that moment. She thought Ava was dead. Everyone did. They had seen her lifted up into the air and thrown back to the ground when Adriel was sucked into the fire. Limp body, cold skin, no movement.

Still.

Ava was never still.

Over weeks, Ava came back. First her breath, then her warmth, soon a peaceful smile in her sleep. Ava came back but the powers didn’t. And neither did Adriel.

The unknown feeling coursing through Beatrice turns into pride and sadness. Where Ava was selfish and self-centered, she is considerate and team-oriented, but years of being told she is a burden to the orphanage has taken its toll. Something Beatrice understands.

“Ava, you know that you’ll never be a burden on m– us.” Beatrice takes a breath, having almost revealed herself.

“But I don’t even know how to drive, much less speak enough French to get groceries! How can I pull my own weight for this team when I’ve failed as the Halo Bearer?”

Beatrice is taken aback at seeing her own views of self-worth reflected back at her. Is this really how it looks?

“Your worth is not determined by what you can or cannot do. But even if it were, you have not failed in any way, you saved us – the whole world – from Adriel.”

“Yeah but the Halo did that, I don’t even know what happened. And where did he even go? What if he isn’t gone and I’m still like this?” Ava’s anger and frustration subsides. She mutters, “....as pathetic as I was before.”

Instinctively, Beatrice clasps Ava’s hand in her own. “Then we will come up with a new plan Ava. Trust your team.”

They look at each other for a moment. Despite the stillness of air between them, Beatrice is bubbling inside. She feels as she did the first time Ava managed to phase through 20 feet of wall…A few inches closer and…

She manages a whisper.

“Remember what I told you? Even if you were a quadriplegic, festooned with boils, or a talking head in a bag, you will always have us. You never have been, nor ever will be, pathetic.”

“Thank you.” It’s so quiet, if Beatrice wasn’t looking at Ava’s lips, she may have missed it.

A cough originating from Beatrice’s throat pulls them out of the moment – out of the physical and emotional closeness she feels with Ava. Beatrice takes a moment to thank her body for saving her from a lapse in judgement.

“However, Mary has demonstrated…grievances regarding you not driving, so we will teach you to drive.” And as an afterthought, “And to cook, if you would like.”

With this Ava gives a big smile and envelopes Beatrice in a hug. Taken by surprise, she hesitates before returning the gesture. The moment feels long, yet short, and Beatrice imagines a life where she can indulge in this. When it’s over, Beatrice focuses back to reality, breathing deeply to push down panic and a web of emotion that will surely be impossible to untangle.

Whipping back to her cooking and picking up an herb, she comments, “We better work quickly, we’re running out of _thyme_.” She doesn’t need to see Ava to know what goofy grin is plastered on her face.

“I hope this is _gouda_.”

“We aren’t using any gouda.”

“Ok, _Swiss-ter_.”

A small chuckle escapes Beatrice’s mouth. Ava grins in delight as she returns to her eggs.

\---

Outside the kitchen Lilith, Camila, Mary eavesdrop.

“Do you think they kissed? They were quiet for a second!” Camila whispers.

“You think Beatrice will let that happen?” Mary shakes her head. “No, this will be a long game. I bet neither of them realizes the other likes them.”

Lilith scoffs. “Why they can’t be honest is beyond me.”

“Well you know Beatrice and her past…” Camila sighs.

“When they’re ready, they’ll do something. Until then, we can only help them along.” Mary adds, “and we need to be more supportive of Ava. She’s strong, but she needs to know that we’re behind her.”

The other two nod.

\---

The quiche turns out to be a success. Such a success that a rule is established banning pasta unless someone other than Ava suggests it, and even then, no more than once a month. To encourage experimentation outside of pasta, and to reinforce Ava’s accomplishment and hard work, Camila makes a point to applaud Ava’s contribution and recommends teas that will pair well with the quiche for next time. Even Lilith manages a smile as she comments on how well Beatrice and Ava work together.

Beatrice breathes in the bliss. Though afraid to admit it, despite not knowing her future, or perhaps because of it, living here in the Pyrenees with her family is the happiest she has ever been. No expectations, nothing to plan, no responsibilities other than occasionally making dinner.

Ava, clearing the table, gives a grin, “You seem happy. Are you thinking about how I’m the best _sous chef_?”

“You were…acceptable.” But she smiles back. “A good start but there is plenty of room for improvement.”

\--

They get comfortable on the sofa, preparing for their nightly episode of Avatar (“The bald boy, not the blue people” – Ava).

Even with the smile on her face, Beatrice knows Ava still has reservations. Beatrice herself felt the need to prove her value through mastering a variety of skills, but Ava was the one who taught her that who she is was enough. She does not need to be useful to be worthy.

Before Ava can press ‘play,’ Beatrice places her hand on top of Ava’s, indicating for her to wait.

“You may think that the Halo was only using you and that we needed you because you have the Halo, but we need YOU Ava. The Halo chose you for a reason because it knew. And whether you intend to or not, you control the Halo.”

Ava opens her mouth to speak, but Beatrice continues.

“You know my past. You know that I became a Sister Warrior to be worthy. Worthy of respect, worthy of love, worthy of redemption. But if being in the OCS taught me anything, it was that we are all enough. YOU taught me that I am enough, so now I will pass that back to you.” Beatrice gently takes the remote from Ava’s hand to envelope it with both of her hands. “Ava Silva, you are enough. You do not need powers to be worthy. You do not need to save the world to be worthy. You are loved for who you are because who you are is beautiful.”

**Author's Note:**

> So, I’ve looked into the “lore” a bit which was where I came up with Adriel’s death thing. Also the 10 days of battle is based on the last ep’s title 
> 
> Revelation 2:10 (Last ep)  
> Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.
> 
> Revelation 20:7-10  
> And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
> 
> 2 Corinthians 11:14  
> And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
> 
> Other things:  
> I intended for some longer dialogue in the last 2 scenes but I’m so done with this  
> I threw in some seeds for potential fics that I’m considering if y'all would be interested  
> Also please, please, please tell me if anything didn’t work! Characters, flow, dialogue, etc. I put this fic down for a few days and when I came back to it I was kinda meh (esp the beginning and transitions) so I'm sure there's stuff and I'd like to improve


End file.
